Except for the absence of Kenneth Williams, I would recommend this film to new fans of the Carry On series, as it is typical of the brand of humor that is a thread of all their films. The seaside resort town of Fircombe needs a boost so Sidney Fiddler (the always good Sid James) comes up with the idea of a beauty contest. This does not sit well with some of the ladies of the town, especially June Whitfield's character Miss Prodworthy (the names are, of course, all intentional). The film basically goes into the contest, with silliness, comic misadventures and double entendres. Not perfect, and not their best, its fun to watch. Except for the aforementioned Mr. Williams and Hattie Jacques, the gang is all here. Enjoy!
39 Reviews
Whatever anyone else says, this is a superb Carry On.
world_of_weird15 August 2005
Although it doesn't quite scale the dizzy heights of CARRY ON UP THE KHYBER and does suffer somewhat from an obviously farthing-scraping budget, GIRLS is still vintage stuff from the Carry On crew, with a fast-moving, pun-heavy script from the great Talbot Rothwell ("I want a nice warm room with hot and cold running chambermaids" - Sid James, one of his many classic lines), plenty of memorable characters including the dotty Miss Tewkes, the randy old Admiral, the punch-drunk bellboy...hang on, this is starting to sound like FAWLTY TOWERS! If the film has one insurmountable obstacle it's the casting of the ageing, dumpy and diminutive Barbara Windsor as a beauty queen. This isn't even believable in a comedy situation where Sid James is a babe magnet and the gormless Bernard Bresslaw gets jiggy with the statuesque Valerie Leon! The rest of the contestants (with the possible exception of future EASTENDER Wendy Richards) look the part, however, and Carry On regular Margaret Nolan is especially memorable as the busty Dawn Brakes, though the PC brigade would no doubt frown on the...er...physical humour the film derives from her buxom presence! There's also a short but priceless cameo from DAD'S ARMY's Private Godfrey, who has one of the film's funniest lines, and Jimmy Logan is hilarious, camping it up in a role that was evidently meant for either Kenneth Williams or Charles Hawtrey and winning the day with his sheer exuberance. There are some sequences that don't really fit the Carry On mould - the Windsor-Nolan cat-fight, for example, shows signs of desperation, and Kenneth Connor doesn't have enough screen time as the proudly dapper but eternally disgusted Frederick Bumble (a shame, as his performance is note-perfect throughout), but all things considered this is a fine example of seaside postcard humour, and much funnier than the cruder Carry On variations that followed.
Saucy seaside shenanigans from the Carry On team.
BA_Harrison30 July 2013
Setting a Carry On in a UK seaside town seems so obvious—after all, the series had been using the saucy style of humour found on British holiday postcards for years—yet it wasn't until 1973 that the team took a trip to the coast for their 25th film, Carry On Girls. Set in the rundown resort of Fircombe (actually Brighton), 'Girls' sees Sid James as councillor Sidney Fiddler, who decides to boost the town's failing tourism trade by organising a beauty contest. However, not everyone is as keen on the idea as Sidney, with the local women's libbers, led by prudish councillor Augusta Prodworthy (June Whitfield), planning to sabotage the event.
Such a plot allows for plenty of innuendo and bare female flesh, with the sexy contestants stripping to their undies, indulging in cat-fights, and occasionally bursting out of their swimming costumes, much to the delight of the town's randy male populace. Carry On regular Babs Windsor plays Hope Springs, focus of Sid's attention, but being in her mid-30s and a touch wobbly, she is easily eclipsed by most of the other beauties in the show. Margaret Nolan as busty Dawn Brakes easily outdoes her in the chest department, and when voluptuous beauty Paula Perkins (Valerie Leon) enters the contest, the rest of the girls might as well give up and go home.
As well as an endless tirade of fit dolly birds, this caper also provides the obligatory 'man in drag' moment (Bernard Bresslaw entering the competition in one of Sid's crazy publicity stunts), Jack Douglas doing his hilarious 'Tourette's Syndrome' routine (Waheyyy!), the Confessions series' Robin Askwith as a newspaper photographer, and James Logan as the impossibly camp TV presenter Cecil Gaybody. Subtle it may not be, but it ain't 'alf funny.
Such a plot allows for plenty of innuendo and bare female flesh, with the sexy contestants stripping to their undies, indulging in cat-fights, and occasionally bursting out of their swimming costumes, much to the delight of the town's randy male populace. Carry On regular Babs Windsor plays Hope Springs, focus of Sid's attention, but being in her mid-30s and a touch wobbly, she is easily eclipsed by most of the other beauties in the show. Margaret Nolan as busty Dawn Brakes easily outdoes her in the chest department, and when voluptuous beauty Paula Perkins (Valerie Leon) enters the contest, the rest of the girls might as well give up and go home.
As well as an endless tirade of fit dolly birds, this caper also provides the obligatory 'man in drag' moment (Bernard Bresslaw entering the competition in one of Sid's crazy publicity stunts), Jack Douglas doing his hilarious 'Tourette's Syndrome' routine (Waheyyy!), the Confessions series' Robin Askwith as a newspaper photographer, and James Logan as the impossibly camp TV presenter Cecil Gaybody. Subtle it may not be, but it ain't 'alf funny.
Contains the best gag in *any* Carry On film...
unclepete12 June 2000
Although this film is not the strongest in the series, it does contain the best gag (in my opinion) of any of the films - a devilish one liner from Councillor Fiddler concerning Fircombe's annual rainfall.
Bresslaw is inspired as the cross dressing Peter/Paula Potter in a time of much lower political sensitivity.
Harmless postcard humour - enjoy it!
Bresslaw is inspired as the cross dressing Peter/Paula Potter in a time of much lower political sensitivity.
Harmless postcard humour - enjoy it!
Sauciest Carry On ever
Leofwine_draca7 September 2015
CARRY ON GIRLS is probably the one CARRY ON film that cements this film series's reputation as the 'smutty postcards' of the film world. It's certainly the sauciest of all the CARRY ON films to date, using the excuse of a beauty contest to reveal the flesh of as many girls as possible, and indeed the fresh beauty of the starlets (in particular Valerie Leon, Margaret Nolan, and Wendy Richard (!)) puts everybody else, the regular team included, into the shade.
The story is some silly thing about scheming councillors (Sid James playing himself, and a delightfully stuffy Kenneth Connor) arranging a beauty contest only to have their efforts thwarted by the local women's lib, led by an enjoyable June Whitfield. In reality, though, what we get are endless innuendos, risqué sight gags, and plenty more besides. It's a film in which Peter Butterworth's groping old bloke is played for laughs, so what more can you say?
Yes, the format feels a little tired and stale by now, with Bernard Bresslaw's cross-dressing antics bringing to mind those of Kenneth Cope in CARRY ON MATRON and a general seen-it-all-before sense to the proceedings. But, for better or worse, CARRY ON GIRLS provides one of the most unforgettable set-pieces of all the franchise, and I'm talking about THAT eye-popping cat-fight between Barbara Windsor and Margaret Nolan. People always remember the exercise scene from CARRY ON CAMPING but this goes considerably further and once watched is difficult to erase from the memory banks.
The story is some silly thing about scheming councillors (Sid James playing himself, and a delightfully stuffy Kenneth Connor) arranging a beauty contest only to have their efforts thwarted by the local women's lib, led by an enjoyable June Whitfield. In reality, though, what we get are endless innuendos, risqué sight gags, and plenty more besides. It's a film in which Peter Butterworth's groping old bloke is played for laughs, so what more can you say?
Yes, the format feels a little tired and stale by now, with Bernard Bresslaw's cross-dressing antics bringing to mind those of Kenneth Cope in CARRY ON MATRON and a general seen-it-all-before sense to the proceedings. But, for better or worse, CARRY ON GIRLS provides one of the most unforgettable set-pieces of all the franchise, and I'm talking about THAT eye-popping cat-fight between Barbara Windsor and Margaret Nolan. People always remember the exercise scene from CARRY ON CAMPING but this goes considerably further and once watched is difficult to erase from the memory banks.
CARRY ON GIRLS (Gerald Thomas, 1973) **1/2
Bunuel19769 February 2008
This latter-day "Carry On" entry doesn't feature such series stalwarts as Kenneth Williams, Hattie Jacques or Charles Hawtrey, but still manages to be great fun if, in no way, a classic. Council member Sid James (tied up with hotel manageress Joan Sims) decides to drum up business for their modest town by organizing a beauty contest. Kenneth Connor (sporting a funny accent and fuzzy hair-do) is the long-suffering Mayor who, apart from his office duties, has to contend on a daily basis with openly contemptuous wife Patsy Rowlands (theirs is inspired mismatch casting indeed). Another couple is James' best pal Bernard Bresslaw and his young wife Valerie Leon (initially made to appear frumpy-looking but who eventually undergoes a make-over when, unbeknownst to her spouse, she determines to enter the contest herself out of jealousy).
Barbara Windsor is "Miss Easy Rider"(!) and she's involved in rivalry throughout erupting soon enough into a catfight in Sims' hotel lobby with ex-roommate Sally Geeson. June Whitfield is the feminist council member who opposes the contest; to this end, she engages photographer nephew Robin Askwith (later star of several naughty "Confessions" films I've never watched any, but am on the point of acquiring a few) to cover the preparations in order to uncover some misdeed which would allow her to put a stop to the whole 'debasing' event. Jack Douglas as the hotel concierge incorporates his hilarious twitching routine (also seen in CARRY ON ABROAD [1972] and "Lamp-Posts Of The Empire", an episode from the CARRY ON LAUGHING [1975] TV series). The finale in which the contest is systematically sabotaged by the puritanical female townfolk (including the Mayor's own wife!) is an undeniable highlight of the film but is, essentially, a direct lift from a much earlier entry in the series the superior CARRY ON TEACHER (1959)!
Barbara Windsor is "Miss Easy Rider"(!) and she's involved in rivalry throughout erupting soon enough into a catfight in Sims' hotel lobby with ex-roommate Sally Geeson. June Whitfield is the feminist council member who opposes the contest; to this end, she engages photographer nephew Robin Askwith (later star of several naughty "Confessions" films I've never watched any, but am on the point of acquiring a few) to cover the preparations in order to uncover some misdeed which would allow her to put a stop to the whole 'debasing' event. Jack Douglas as the hotel concierge incorporates his hilarious twitching routine (also seen in CARRY ON ABROAD [1972] and "Lamp-Posts Of The Empire", an episode from the CARRY ON LAUGHING [1975] TV series). The finale in which the contest is systematically sabotaged by the puritanical female townfolk (including the Mayor's own wife!) is an undeniable highlight of the film but is, essentially, a direct lift from a much earlier entry in the series the superior CARRY ON TEACHER (1959)!
The team have feminists in their sights.
hitchcockthelegend23 September 2009
The seaside resort of Fircombe is struggling to attract the tourists, so Sid Fiddler (Sid James) proposes a beauty contest to draw some much needed punters into the town. Getting the inept Mayor (Kenneth Connor) to agree was easy enough, but opposition comes in the form of Augusta Prodworthy (June Whitfield) and her league of feminists.
Lurid, smutty and just about average in the pantheon of the Carry On series. No Kenneth Williams for this one, but a point of interest is that Robin Askwith appears for the only time. Askwith ironically would become the star of the "Confessions" series of film's which would take the sex comedy to a whole new plateau from 1974 onwards. Carry On Girls has its moments, Bernie Bresslaw in drag brings quite a few gags, while Peter Butterworth as a lecherous old man steals the film.
Also pleasing for the franchise faithful is that the Sid James and Barbara Windsor (Hope Springs) pairing gets a nice arc befitting the relationship the pair built up during the series. Beauty contests and feminist whiles are given the treatment in Talbot Rothwell's screenplay, and the dying seaside town in need of a boost has a certain warmth to it (filmed on location in Brighton on England's South Coast). But really it's mild Carry On fare outside of the flesh and double entendres that are laced in humorous stereotypical cheapness. 5/10
Lurid, smutty and just about average in the pantheon of the Carry On series. No Kenneth Williams for this one, but a point of interest is that Robin Askwith appears for the only time. Askwith ironically would become the star of the "Confessions" series of film's which would take the sex comedy to a whole new plateau from 1974 onwards. Carry On Girls has its moments, Bernie Bresslaw in drag brings quite a few gags, while Peter Butterworth as a lecherous old man steals the film.
Also pleasing for the franchise faithful is that the Sid James and Barbara Windsor (Hope Springs) pairing gets a nice arc befitting the relationship the pair built up during the series. Beauty contests and feminist whiles are given the treatment in Talbot Rothwell's screenplay, and the dying seaside town in need of a boost has a certain warmth to it (filmed on location in Brighton on England's South Coast). But really it's mild Carry On fare outside of the flesh and double entendres that are laced in humorous stereotypical cheapness. 5/10
The 25th Carry On Film...
IanPhillips6 August 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Carry On Girls (1973) was the 25th entry in this staggeringly long-running British comedy film series. Many don't seem to hold 'Girls' in much regard, but I really like it. The Carry On's were beginning to slide in popularity at this stage; whereas at one stage at least two or three Carry On films were made per year, by 1973 the production rate had slowed down to just once a year.
Charles Hawtrey (who had been disposed of after his drunken antics on the Carry On Abroad set and after continual disagreements with producer Peter Rogers over wanting his name elevated above the title which no Carry On star was ever rewarded), Kenneth Williams and the formidable Hattie Jacques are all sorely missed, but there is surprisingly enough fun, laughter and games to enjoy throughout.
In 'Carry On Girls', the typically thin plot is centered around a tacky, end-of-pier beauty contest which immediately faces opposition from the town's women's lib action group, led by Councillor Prodworthy, played marvelously by June Whitfield. Sid James organises the contest and lets the girls (which includes Margaret Noland and Wendy Richard) stay at the hotel run by his girlfriend, Chloe (Joan Sims) for free! Sid's eye soon strays onto the bubbly Barbara Windsor whom arrives on a motorbike in complete tomboy mode, yet reveals a far more glamorous, feminine side when taking part in the first promotional photo shoot.
The film's climax is where it really scores best with the beauty contest ending in complete disaster. The girls costumes are all laced with itching powder, the floor is made slippery leading the contestants to tumble down on to the stage and to top if off Councillor Prodworthy turns on the sprinklers that soaks the entire audience. This is followed by a fun go-kart chase as Sid James flees all of the enraged customers who all demanding their money back after having been soaked in the theatre. Barbara Windsor is hot on Sid's trail on a motorbike. The last scene sees Sid James and Barbara Windsor riding merrily along a motorway on Barbara's scooter. Silly but great fun.
The cast are all on top form, though any scene which Sid James and Barbara Windsor share raises a smile and a laugh with their undeniable chemistry shining through. This is really Sid and Babs film.
Yet again, Joan Sims is underused and unfairly pigeon holed into a supporting performance which she plays straight and efficiently, where as Kenneth Connor plays the town's bumbling Mayor, a blatantly incompetent and pompous figure whom causes some amusement though is mainly the butt of a joke. Playing opposite Connor, and inadvertently stealing any scene she's in, is Patsy Rolands, whom has a far meatier part in this Carry On and comes into her own. She plays the Mayor's frustrated and down-trodden wife to utter comic perfection and her character rebels in the end joining forces with June Whitfield's team of women's lib group.
Lovable giant, Bernard Bresslaw pops up as Sid James sidekick in organising the beauty contest. The scenes where he dresses in drag, deliberately to attract attention from the media in a bid to drum up publicity and generate interest in the contest, are quite hilarious! The sultry Valerie Leon plays his dowdy fiancé who reluctantly ends up joining the beauty contest in the end and is transformed into the glamorous and stunning beauty she always truly was/is. For some odd reason, however, all of Valerie Leon's lines are dubbed over by June Whitfield! Bizarre! Then there's Jack Douglas bubbling away in the background as the hotel porter, William. His nervous twitching is something of an acquired taste, and while Douglas is clearly a talented performer who fit in nicely in the 70s Carry On's, it can become tedious and just annoying at points.
All told, I definitely consider 'Carry On Girls' a classic entry in the series and a highly enjoyable one at that.
Charles Hawtrey (who had been disposed of after his drunken antics on the Carry On Abroad set and after continual disagreements with producer Peter Rogers over wanting his name elevated above the title which no Carry On star was ever rewarded), Kenneth Williams and the formidable Hattie Jacques are all sorely missed, but there is surprisingly enough fun, laughter and games to enjoy throughout.
In 'Carry On Girls', the typically thin plot is centered around a tacky, end-of-pier beauty contest which immediately faces opposition from the town's women's lib action group, led by Councillor Prodworthy, played marvelously by June Whitfield. Sid James organises the contest and lets the girls (which includes Margaret Noland and Wendy Richard) stay at the hotel run by his girlfriend, Chloe (Joan Sims) for free! Sid's eye soon strays onto the bubbly Barbara Windsor whom arrives on a motorbike in complete tomboy mode, yet reveals a far more glamorous, feminine side when taking part in the first promotional photo shoot.
The film's climax is where it really scores best with the beauty contest ending in complete disaster. The girls costumes are all laced with itching powder, the floor is made slippery leading the contestants to tumble down on to the stage and to top if off Councillor Prodworthy turns on the sprinklers that soaks the entire audience. This is followed by a fun go-kart chase as Sid James flees all of the enraged customers who all demanding their money back after having been soaked in the theatre. Barbara Windsor is hot on Sid's trail on a motorbike. The last scene sees Sid James and Barbara Windsor riding merrily along a motorway on Barbara's scooter. Silly but great fun.
The cast are all on top form, though any scene which Sid James and Barbara Windsor share raises a smile and a laugh with their undeniable chemistry shining through. This is really Sid and Babs film.
Yet again, Joan Sims is underused and unfairly pigeon holed into a supporting performance which she plays straight and efficiently, where as Kenneth Connor plays the town's bumbling Mayor, a blatantly incompetent and pompous figure whom causes some amusement though is mainly the butt of a joke. Playing opposite Connor, and inadvertently stealing any scene she's in, is Patsy Rolands, whom has a far meatier part in this Carry On and comes into her own. She plays the Mayor's frustrated and down-trodden wife to utter comic perfection and her character rebels in the end joining forces with June Whitfield's team of women's lib group.
Lovable giant, Bernard Bresslaw pops up as Sid James sidekick in organising the beauty contest. The scenes where he dresses in drag, deliberately to attract attention from the media in a bid to drum up publicity and generate interest in the contest, are quite hilarious! The sultry Valerie Leon plays his dowdy fiancé who reluctantly ends up joining the beauty contest in the end and is transformed into the glamorous and stunning beauty she always truly was/is. For some odd reason, however, all of Valerie Leon's lines are dubbed over by June Whitfield! Bizarre! Then there's Jack Douglas bubbling away in the background as the hotel porter, William. His nervous twitching is something of an acquired taste, and while Douglas is clearly a talented performer who fit in nicely in the 70s Carry On's, it can become tedious and just annoying at points.
All told, I definitely consider 'Carry On Girls' a classic entry in the series and a highly enjoyable one at that.
A guilty pleasure at best
Tweekums25 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
By the early seventies the Carry On films had lost their innocent charm and instead aimed for the sauciness of McGill's famous postcards. Here that sauciness is provided by a beauty contest arranged by Sidney Fiddler, councillor in the seaside resort of Fircombe. The idea of a beauty contest isn't approved of by everybody though councillor and women's libber Augusta Prodworthy strongly objects to such sexist activities in the town. In order to make the contest a financial success Sid invites the contestants and publicity agent Peter Potter to come down a week before, staying free at his fiancée's hotel. Of course it isn't long before they are getting the sort of publicity money can't buy as a fight between contestants Hope Springs and the ample chested Dawn Brakes leaves the mayor with his trousers round his ankles! That is just the first thing to hit the front pages; the mayor is once again left trouserless in an incident involving a fire engine and Peter Potter is persuaded to disguise himself as a women to enter the contest! The arrival of so many beautiful young women has an effect on the hotel's regular clientèle; some of whom decide to leave and others such as the Admiral who can't get enough of them! As the film reaches its conclusion the contest begins to open when the protesters strike.
I must admit that I didn't have high hopes of this when I sat down to watch it, mainly watching it for completeness; perhaps because of that I rather enjoyed it. Sid James gave his standard performance as Sydney Fiddler which was just what the role demanded, Joan Sims did a fine job playing it straight as Sid's Fiancée and Peter Breslaw was good as Peter Potter. I was less sure of Barbara Windsor though; her sense of fun and mischievous laugh are always charming but she didn't really have the necessary beauty queen look. Kenneth Connor's performance as the mayor had its moments but for the most part he was out performed by Patsy Rowlands who played his put upon wife. To my mind however the worst character was William, the hotel receptionist played by Jack Douglas; a one joke character who will only amuse those who find speech problems and physical impediments funny. While not employed for their acting talents the contests were suitably attractive; especially Margaret Nolan who had difficulties keeping her top covered as Dawn Brakes! I admit the humour is fairly puerile but it made me laugh far more than I expected and in the end that is what makes a comedy; I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the series but be warned some parents might think there is too much flesh on display and too much innuendo despite its PG certificate.
I must admit that I didn't have high hopes of this when I sat down to watch it, mainly watching it for completeness; perhaps because of that I rather enjoyed it. Sid James gave his standard performance as Sydney Fiddler which was just what the role demanded, Joan Sims did a fine job playing it straight as Sid's Fiancée and Peter Breslaw was good as Peter Potter. I was less sure of Barbara Windsor though; her sense of fun and mischievous laugh are always charming but she didn't really have the necessary beauty queen look. Kenneth Connor's performance as the mayor had its moments but for the most part he was out performed by Patsy Rowlands who played his put upon wife. To my mind however the worst character was William, the hotel receptionist played by Jack Douglas; a one joke character who will only amuse those who find speech problems and physical impediments funny. While not employed for their acting talents the contests were suitably attractive; especially Margaret Nolan who had difficulties keeping her top covered as Dawn Brakes! I admit the humour is fairly puerile but it made me laugh far more than I expected and in the end that is what makes a comedy; I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the series but be warned some parents might think there is too much flesh on display and too much innuendo despite its PG certificate.
One of the weakest in the Carry On series
penseur3 June 2006
The opening scene of the beach at Fircombe while amusing in itself, unfortunately provides a suitable metaphor for the film - insipid and washed out. It is actually not as corny as most of the others in the Carry On series, but maybe because of that doesn't really deliver much fun. It's a fair bet that the title will appeal to fans of the Benny Hill show but those looking for attractive females in bikinis and miniskirts, while they will see some in this, will probably enjoy some of the other titles in the series, such as "Carry On Abroad" or "Carry On Up the Jungle" more. The emergence of early 1970s feminism is used as a plot device which seems rather self-defeating.
Ooh, saucy!
djb89632816 May 2002
This is a fun movie. Yes, it may be politically incorrect by today's standards. Sure. But who cares? What's funny is funny. I for one can find the humour in the CARRY ON movies -- and I was born after the last of the series was made! There's nothing explicit in GIRLS, nothing truly offensive (the makers poke more fun at the men than they do the women) and come on, it's just harmless boob and bum laughs, anyway.
I love this movie because it makes me laugh, and makes me laugh every time I see it (which is quite a few times now). The jokes all hit the mark. There is an actual plot, unlike the comparable sex comedies being made today. The acting is fantastic. Sid James, Barbara Windsor and the usual gang know what they're doing and they do it perfectly. The only true weakness I would say is the directing and editing, though I would chalk that up to the obvious constraints of making films on a low budget.
And, in conclusion, to all those who decry the CARRY ON films as being old sexist rubbish, let me just say, in the words of the late great Sid James: "Knickers!"
I love this movie because it makes me laugh, and makes me laugh every time I see it (which is quite a few times now). The jokes all hit the mark. There is an actual plot, unlike the comparable sex comedies being made today. The acting is fantastic. Sid James, Barbara Windsor and the usual gang know what they're doing and they do it perfectly. The only true weakness I would say is the directing and editing, though I would chalk that up to the obvious constraints of making films on a low budget.
And, in conclusion, to all those who decry the CARRY ON films as being old sexist rubbish, let me just say, in the words of the late great Sid James: "Knickers!"
Uneven, but has its moments
TheLittleSongbird28 February 2011
The Carry On series does have worse entries such as England, Emanuelle and Columbus, but with Screaming, Cleo and Up the Khyber the series has better too. Carry on Girls doesn't fit in either best or worst categories, instead it is content with a spot in the low-ish middle category. While the costumes and sets are good, the editing isn't particularly, some scenes look as though they have been edited on a bacon slicer. The story is also rather unfocused with an attempt to combine gentle social satire and smut and sauciness, and it keeps jumping to and fro with uneven results. Also I did miss Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey. However, the direction isn't too bad, neither is the music, while Talbot Rothwell's script is fluid and has some good moments that make up for the uneven focus in story. And the cast do give it their all, Sid James and June Witfield are a lively pair of adversaries and Kenneth Connor, Joan Sims and Patsy Rowlands are splendid as well. Overall, a very uneven film but not one without its moments. 6/10 Bethany Cox
In 1973 They Did Things Differently
JamesHitchcock1 January 2014
Watching "Carry On Girls" recently, for the first time in many years, made me realise what a strange decade I grew up in. (I was a teenager in the seventies). In 1953 (to say nothing of 1943 or 1933) a film like this would never have got past the British Board of Film Censors, and in 1963 would probably only have scraped through in bowdlerised form. By 1983, however, humour like this was already starting to look a bit passé, and in 1993 (to say nothing of 2003 or 2013) would have been regarded as sadly outdated (as well as offensive to women). In 1973, however, they did things differently.
The story concerns a beauty contest held in the seaside town of Fircombe and the efforts of a group of feminists to disrupt it. (The name "Fircombe" was probably intended as a double-entendre in itself, but someone obviously got cold feet and told the cast to pronounce it "Fir- coom", with the second syllable rhyming with "room". The alternative pronunciation "Firk'em" was presumably too near the knuckle). There is something very seventies in that storyline in itself. Beauty contests were big news in the seventies, but although they are still held in Britain few people take much notice of them- not the television channels, not the tabloid press, which once covered them avidly, and not the broadsheet press, which once equally avidly thundered against them in the name of women's equality. Even feminists no longer feel it worthwhile to disrupt them.
The "Carry On" films relied heavily on character-based humour, featuring as they did a team of "regulars", several of whom played essentially the same character in every film they appeared in. These included:-
A lecherous, dodgy Cockney wide-boy, generally played by Sid James and often named "Sidney" in his honour. Here James plays the appropriately named Sidney Fiddler, the organiser of the contest. (For those not conversant with British slang, "fiddler" literally means a violinist, but in colloquial usage can also mean "cheat" or "swindler").
A saucy Cockney trollop, invariably played by Barbara Windsor. Windsor and James were lovers in real life, and their characters (as here) are often portrayed as being romantically involved. It was a running joke in the series that Windsor was an irresistibly gorgeous sex-siren, although the idea of this rather plain actress as a beauty queen might strike some people as the only funny joke in this film, especially as some of the other contestants, notably Margaret Nolan and Valerie Leon, are genuinely attractive. Leon's character is another comic stereotype, the dowdy, severe-looking secretary who inevitably turns out to be a real beauty when she takes off her spectacles and lets her hair down.
A formidable female battleaxe, normally played by Hattie Jacques, but here by June Whitfield as Councillor Augusta Prodworthy, the leader of the protesters. Rather unusually for a seventies feminist, Mrs Prodworthy is played as an upper-middle-class grande dame; Whitfield seems to have modelled her portrayal on Margaret Thatcher.
A camp and effeminate character, normally played by Kenneth Williams or Charles Hawtrey, but here Williams was unavailable and Hawtrey had been sacked from the series the year before, apparently because of his heavy drinking. Jimmy Logan steps into the breach as a television presenter named Mr Gaybody, occasionally mispronounced as "Gayboy". (An early example of the word "gay", in its modern sense, being used in a British comedy context).
A pompous but ineffectual character played by Kenneth Connor. (Mr Bumble, the mayor of Fircombe).
A blowsy middle-aged nymphomaniac played by Joan Sims. (Hotel manageress Connie Philpotts. The object of Connie's lust is Sidney Fiddler, which suggests just how desperate she must be).
A dull, frumpy woman played by Patsy Rowlands. (Mrs Bumble).
In the early episodes of the "Carry On" series the humour was very traditional; in "Carry On Constable" from 1960, for example, the scriptwriters were still trying to get laughs out of a man slipping on a banana skin, a gag which was probably corny even in the days of Laurel and Hardy. Between the early sixties and the early seventies, however, a revolution had taken place in British comedy. Banana skins were out, sexual humour was in.
Apart from screamingly obvious puns and innuendo, there is not a lot of verbal humour. Topics such as breasts, bottoms, effeminate men, butch women, toilets, men losing their trousers, donkeys defecating on a hotel carpet and dirty old men lusting after nubile young dolly birds were all assumed to be automatically funny. The scriptwriters did not need to strain themselves to come up with amusing jokes involving breasts, bottoms, effeminate men, butch women, toilets, men losing their trousers, donkeys defecating on a hotel carpet and dirty old men lusting after nubile young dolly birds. They merely assumed that they only had to mention such matters for the audience to fall about helpless with laughter.
Perhaps in 1973 this sort of thing was regarded as the last word in sophisticated wit and audiences really did fall about helpless with laughter every time Kenneth Connor's trousers fell down or Patsy Rowlands made mention of her weak bladder, or when Margaret Nolan sneezed and her swimsuit flew open, revealing her cleavage. I don't know; I didn't see the film until the late eighties, by which time the "Carry Ons" were assumed to have gone the way of the dodo – we didn't realise that their last hurrah, "Carry On Columbus", was just around the corner- and this sort of humour was starting to look like the last word in crass vulgarity. If anything, it looks even crasser today than it did then. 4/10 (A mark which would have been lower but for the fact that some of the cast, notably Whitfield, do show evidence of some genuine comic talents).
The story concerns a beauty contest held in the seaside town of Fircombe and the efforts of a group of feminists to disrupt it. (The name "Fircombe" was probably intended as a double-entendre in itself, but someone obviously got cold feet and told the cast to pronounce it "Fir- coom", with the second syllable rhyming with "room". The alternative pronunciation "Firk'em" was presumably too near the knuckle). There is something very seventies in that storyline in itself. Beauty contests were big news in the seventies, but although they are still held in Britain few people take much notice of them- not the television channels, not the tabloid press, which once covered them avidly, and not the broadsheet press, which once equally avidly thundered against them in the name of women's equality. Even feminists no longer feel it worthwhile to disrupt them.
The "Carry On" films relied heavily on character-based humour, featuring as they did a team of "regulars", several of whom played essentially the same character in every film they appeared in. These included:-
A lecherous, dodgy Cockney wide-boy, generally played by Sid James and often named "Sidney" in his honour. Here James plays the appropriately named Sidney Fiddler, the organiser of the contest. (For those not conversant with British slang, "fiddler" literally means a violinist, but in colloquial usage can also mean "cheat" or "swindler").
A saucy Cockney trollop, invariably played by Barbara Windsor. Windsor and James were lovers in real life, and their characters (as here) are often portrayed as being romantically involved. It was a running joke in the series that Windsor was an irresistibly gorgeous sex-siren, although the idea of this rather plain actress as a beauty queen might strike some people as the only funny joke in this film, especially as some of the other contestants, notably Margaret Nolan and Valerie Leon, are genuinely attractive. Leon's character is another comic stereotype, the dowdy, severe-looking secretary who inevitably turns out to be a real beauty when she takes off her spectacles and lets her hair down.
A formidable female battleaxe, normally played by Hattie Jacques, but here by June Whitfield as Councillor Augusta Prodworthy, the leader of the protesters. Rather unusually for a seventies feminist, Mrs Prodworthy is played as an upper-middle-class grande dame; Whitfield seems to have modelled her portrayal on Margaret Thatcher.
A camp and effeminate character, normally played by Kenneth Williams or Charles Hawtrey, but here Williams was unavailable and Hawtrey had been sacked from the series the year before, apparently because of his heavy drinking. Jimmy Logan steps into the breach as a television presenter named Mr Gaybody, occasionally mispronounced as "Gayboy". (An early example of the word "gay", in its modern sense, being used in a British comedy context).
A pompous but ineffectual character played by Kenneth Connor. (Mr Bumble, the mayor of Fircombe).
A blowsy middle-aged nymphomaniac played by Joan Sims. (Hotel manageress Connie Philpotts. The object of Connie's lust is Sidney Fiddler, which suggests just how desperate she must be).
A dull, frumpy woman played by Patsy Rowlands. (Mrs Bumble).
In the early episodes of the "Carry On" series the humour was very traditional; in "Carry On Constable" from 1960, for example, the scriptwriters were still trying to get laughs out of a man slipping on a banana skin, a gag which was probably corny even in the days of Laurel and Hardy. Between the early sixties and the early seventies, however, a revolution had taken place in British comedy. Banana skins were out, sexual humour was in.
Apart from screamingly obvious puns and innuendo, there is not a lot of verbal humour. Topics such as breasts, bottoms, effeminate men, butch women, toilets, men losing their trousers, donkeys defecating on a hotel carpet and dirty old men lusting after nubile young dolly birds were all assumed to be automatically funny. The scriptwriters did not need to strain themselves to come up with amusing jokes involving breasts, bottoms, effeminate men, butch women, toilets, men losing their trousers, donkeys defecating on a hotel carpet and dirty old men lusting after nubile young dolly birds. They merely assumed that they only had to mention such matters for the audience to fall about helpless with laughter.
Perhaps in 1973 this sort of thing was regarded as the last word in sophisticated wit and audiences really did fall about helpless with laughter every time Kenneth Connor's trousers fell down or Patsy Rowlands made mention of her weak bladder, or when Margaret Nolan sneezed and her swimsuit flew open, revealing her cleavage. I don't know; I didn't see the film until the late eighties, by which time the "Carry Ons" were assumed to have gone the way of the dodo – we didn't realise that their last hurrah, "Carry On Columbus", was just around the corner- and this sort of humour was starting to look like the last word in crass vulgarity. If anything, it looks even crasser today than it did then. 4/10 (A mark which would have been lower but for the fact that some of the cast, notably Whitfield, do show evidence of some genuine comic talents).
An old formular rejuvenated
nobita7 December 1998
Despite that fact that this film was one of the last Carry On's to be made and the classic jokes and gags were rather tired by now, for some reason they seem especially funny. There is nothing very different from this carry on film to the countless others, except for the fact this time the material seemed to really work, even though everyone knows the jokes. This Carry On adventure is set in an English seaside town. Kenneth Connor is the rather inebriated town Mayor, with Sid James (in his usual character type) and June Whitfield (the mother in Absolutely Fabulous) on the committee. It has come to the committee's attention that the town is losing tourists and something must be done. Sid cracks the idea of holding a Beauty contests and soon all the leggy birds that 1973 could offer were swanning down to the sea-side Hotel owned by Joan Sims. And of course that's where the fun starts - a Hotel taken over by scantily-clad women being chased by dirty old men, etc. More fuel is added to fire by June Whitfield who plays a feminist assisted by a women who looks like a member of the Hitler Boy Youth (intentional, I take it). This is one of the funniest Carry On films, and one of the best to view.
Sid and Babs
Rrrobert12 October 2018
Though key regulars (Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques) are missing, this film succeeds by giving good roles to those regulars present, and focusing a tight little story on them. Sid James is always Sid but his character works especially well here, mainly because he is paired with Barbara Windsor in her biggest and probably best Carry On role. Her character is bright and assertive, finds herself attracted to Sid, but won't tolerate any of his shenanigans. The chemistry between the two is unmistakable.
Bernard Bresslaw doesn't overplay is main role of a publicist working for Sid and having the misfortune of being embroiled in some of Sid's schemes. The character is generally played straight and is sympathetic, allowing the laughs to come naturally from his situation.
Kenneth Connor as the bumbling Mayor has one of his best roles. His forlorn wife is played brilliantly by Patsy Rowlands, who shines in a much bigger role than usual for her. The Mayor's rival is a feminist played by June Whitfield who had main roles in just two of the later Carry On films, but she works really well in them. Jack Douglas is upgraded to his biggest role to date and fits seamlessly into the format. It is like he has always been there.
Joan Sims acquits herself well in the smallish and not overly comedic role of Sid's neglected girlfriend. She has already become fed up with his schemes at the start of the film and it is all downhill from there.
My two favourite glamour girls Margaret Nolan and Valerie Leon have decent roles. Peter Butterworth has a funny support turn as a lecherous hotel guest.
Bernard Bresslaw doesn't overplay is main role of a publicist working for Sid and having the misfortune of being embroiled in some of Sid's schemes. The character is generally played straight and is sympathetic, allowing the laughs to come naturally from his situation.
Kenneth Connor as the bumbling Mayor has one of his best roles. His forlorn wife is played brilliantly by Patsy Rowlands, who shines in a much bigger role than usual for her. The Mayor's rival is a feminist played by June Whitfield who had main roles in just two of the later Carry On films, but she works really well in them. Jack Douglas is upgraded to his biggest role to date and fits seamlessly into the format. It is like he has always been there.
Joan Sims acquits herself well in the smallish and not overly comedic role of Sid's neglected girlfriend. She has already become fed up with his schemes at the start of the film and it is all downhill from there.
My two favourite glamour girls Margaret Nolan and Valerie Leon have decent roles. Peter Butterworth has a funny support turn as a lecherous hotel guest.
Isn't she gorgeous
midbrowcontrarian18 September 2020
Some reviewers delineate the plot and characters in such detail that to see the film or episode immediately after reading them is bound to be an anti-climax. Of course a yen for intricate plot development and sophisticated characterization may not be the reason some of us watch the later Carry On films.
I saw Carry on Girls quite recently and was surprised to be unmoved by the bikini clad babes but lingered over the scenes with June Whitfield. Must be getting old. To judge it just on the dolly birds (excuse my 1970's lingo) I'd have to rate it below Carry On Loving. Sultry Imogen Hassall and perky Jackie Piper outgun this swimsuit parade, except possibly Valerie Leon.
Not among the best
nelsonhodgie28 December 2021
Oh Boy, this one is bad. It's amazing how variable in quality these Carry On Movies are. Surprising since they seem to use the same production team each time. I didn't laugh once and this time Sid James was revoltingly unbelievable as the womanizer and Babs was stupid to the point of embarrassment. Some beautiful girls keep it from being a total disaster and Joan Sims gives a decent turn .Try Carry On Doctor instead.
His favorite pasttime
bkoganbing26 November 2014
The Carry On series was known for its risqué and somewhat lewd and bawdy humor, more and more as the series went on. But in Carry On Girls where the subject is a beauty contest there's definitely more of it here than the rest of the series. Definitely Carry On Girls is Sid James's finest and most leering best.
James owns a small hotel with Joan Sims that is not doing all that well. He comes up with a capital idea, hold a beauty contest at his hotel. Both make money and publicity and indulge in his favorite pasttime. He sells the mayor of the town Kenneth Connor on the idea though the stodgy Connor has his reservations.
What's also around the local feminist June Whitfield who just on principle doesn't care for James's sexist ways. But the idea of exploitation of female bodies sets her off and she looks to sabotage the event. Between her sabotage and Sid James's eternal quest for any kind of publicity you have the makings of a funny film.
That final scene at the beauty pageant is one for the books in the Carry On series. If you like nubile young female bodies and have a bawdy sense of humor, Carry On Girls is your film.
James owns a small hotel with Joan Sims that is not doing all that well. He comes up with a capital idea, hold a beauty contest at his hotel. Both make money and publicity and indulge in his favorite pasttime. He sells the mayor of the town Kenneth Connor on the idea though the stodgy Connor has his reservations.
What's also around the local feminist June Whitfield who just on principle doesn't care for James's sexist ways. But the idea of exploitation of female bodies sets her off and she looks to sabotage the event. Between her sabotage and Sid James's eternal quest for any kind of publicity you have the makings of a funny film.
That final scene at the beauty pageant is one for the books in the Carry On series. If you like nubile young female bodies and have a bawdy sense of humor, Carry On Girls is your film.
Carry On No. 25
michaelarmer5 May 2020
This was a bit poor compared to other Carry On's, all down to the sexual innuendo and sex antics, apparently there was a naked fight between Barbara Windsor and Carol Hawkins which got cut, which would probably have made it worse, why they thought that all the sex antics would make it good I don't know, the actual acting was poor and it was a bit boring, certainly not funny.
Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Joan Sims, Ken Connor, Bernard Bresslaw, June Whitfield, Peter Butterworth, Patsy Rowlands, Joan Hickson (returning after a long gap), Valerie Leon, and Margaret Nolan are the regulars, Hattie Jacques was left out, Charles Hawtrey did not return and Ken Williams refused, unfortunately (or from their point of view fortunate not to be associated with this), they might have improved it. Apparently Charlie was dropped through drinking too much, I don't know why as he was always a big drinker, its probably more to do with the wage demands, they were doing the last few films on the cheap. Sally Geeson did her last of 2, she was also in .....Abroad'. It was also Valerie Leon's last, she probably had enough after this, she went onto a good career including 2 Bond films, she is still at it, now aged 76. Joan Hickson of Miss Marple fame also did her last, she retired in 1993 but passed away in 1998 aged 92.
Of the small/bit role regular actors there was David Lodge ( a great actor elsewhere), Patricia Franklin, Brian Osborne, Marianne Stone, Billy Cornelius, Hugh Futcher, Michael Nightingale, Reg Thomason and Angela Grant, it was Angela's last one, she did 4, starting with Follow That Camel.
Surely it could only get better from this, but we were still in the 70's, so I am not expecting much, and many of the best actors were leaving like rats from a sinking ship.
Sid James, Barbara Windsor, Joan Sims, Ken Connor, Bernard Bresslaw, June Whitfield, Peter Butterworth, Patsy Rowlands, Joan Hickson (returning after a long gap), Valerie Leon, and Margaret Nolan are the regulars, Hattie Jacques was left out, Charles Hawtrey did not return and Ken Williams refused, unfortunately (or from their point of view fortunate not to be associated with this), they might have improved it. Apparently Charlie was dropped through drinking too much, I don't know why as he was always a big drinker, its probably more to do with the wage demands, they were doing the last few films on the cheap. Sally Geeson did her last of 2, she was also in .....Abroad'. It was also Valerie Leon's last, she probably had enough after this, she went onto a good career including 2 Bond films, she is still at it, now aged 76. Joan Hickson of Miss Marple fame also did her last, she retired in 1993 but passed away in 1998 aged 92.
Of the small/bit role regular actors there was David Lodge ( a great actor elsewhere), Patricia Franklin, Brian Osborne, Marianne Stone, Billy Cornelius, Hugh Futcher, Michael Nightingale, Reg Thomason and Angela Grant, it was Angela's last one, she did 4, starting with Follow That Camel.
Surely it could only get better from this, but we were still in the 70's, so I am not expecting much, and many of the best actors were leaving like rats from a sinking ship.
Inspiration for Fawlty Towers?
jmacca58-uk2 October 2022
Was the hotel reception scene the inspiration for Fawlty Towers
I stopped on this film when flitting through channels, the scene was of the beauty contest women in the reception of a hotel. It was Fawlty Towers reception. Joan Sims's character was the female Basil on reception and at one point threw something, room keys I think, across the reception.
There was a "retired major type" walking through the crowd in reception. In the dining room, just like Fawlty Towers, there's a lady sitting at a table, but just the one whereas with Fawlty Towers it was always two.
This was released in 1973 and FT first appeared in 1975. Very close.
I stopped on this film when flitting through channels, the scene was of the beauty contest women in the reception of a hotel. It was Fawlty Towers reception. Joan Sims's character was the female Basil on reception and at one point threw something, room keys I think, across the reception.
There was a "retired major type" walking through the crowd in reception. In the dining room, just like Fawlty Towers, there's a lady sitting at a table, but just the one whereas with Fawlty Towers it was always two.
This was released in 1973 and FT first appeared in 1975. Very close.
Poor outing for Carry On fans
Dawnfrancis20 April 2003
This is definitely one of the weaker of the series of Carry On films. It lacks the usual fun and sparkle and even the cast seem embarrassed by the poor dialogue. By the time this came out, the series was in terminal decline and boy does it show! If you're coming fresh to this series, avoid this one till near the end.
A vibrant, loud, over the top romp.......I love it!!!
Sleepin_Dragon25 August 2015
I'm stunned to see how bad some of the reviews are for it, and how as of today it has a score of 5.4.
I'm definitely standing up for Carry on Girls, I love it, from the opening credits, and it's opening music, to the very end. I understand that it's totally non Politically Correct, a phrase that didn't really occur in the 70s, but it's all harmless fun. A bit saucier then the usual Carry on Films, but it's hardly offensive.
It has a great cast, and all are on top form, oh my days Joan Hickson literally has me in tears, she is so funny!! I wish she'd appeared in many more of them... 5 was not enough
Margaret Nolan was simply jaw dropping, what a stunning girl, she had a much more substantial role then in her previous appearances, the fight scene with Babs was big fun. Patsy Rowlands also had a much more substantial part, she was fun.
I don't think there was a standout performance, all were on good form, possibly Sid's charisma gives him the edge.
Of course it's the finale that you're waiting for, it doesn't disappoint, Peter Butterworth's reactions are hilarious, alright it's not the absolute best entry, but it makes me laugh out loud and i've seen it hundreds of times, 8/10
I'm definitely standing up for Carry on Girls, I love it, from the opening credits, and it's opening music, to the very end. I understand that it's totally non Politically Correct, a phrase that didn't really occur in the 70s, but it's all harmless fun. A bit saucier then the usual Carry on Films, but it's hardly offensive.
It has a great cast, and all are on top form, oh my days Joan Hickson literally has me in tears, she is so funny!! I wish she'd appeared in many more of them... 5 was not enough
Margaret Nolan was simply jaw dropping, what a stunning girl, she had a much more substantial role then in her previous appearances, the fight scene with Babs was big fun. Patsy Rowlands also had a much more substantial part, she was fun.
I don't think there was a standout performance, all were on good form, possibly Sid's charisma gives him the edge.
Of course it's the finale that you're waiting for, it doesn't disappoint, Peter Butterworth's reactions are hilarious, alright it's not the absolute best entry, but it makes me laugh out loud and i've seen it hundreds of times, 8/10
One of the middle ranking ones.
GiraffeDoor5 October 2019
Relatively fapable romp that seems to make little effort in its jokes beyond the ribaldry itself being the joke.
The antagonists here are the older women who object to the beauty pageant and I suppose we're supped to take them as the "feminists". I'm a radical feminist myself and I don't see anything wrong with a beauty contest. The culture that spawns them maybe but we have nothing to gain from protesting the things themselves.
It's retro good fun for a rainy afternoon but a Carry one Film about a beauty pageant is a fundamentally flawed idea'; it's kind of a hat on a hat.
The antagonists here are the older women who object to the beauty pageant and I suppose we're supped to take them as the "feminists". I'm a radical feminist myself and I don't see anything wrong with a beauty contest. The culture that spawns them maybe but we have nothing to gain from protesting the things themselves.
It's retro good fun for a rainy afternoon but a Carry one Film about a beauty pageant is a fundamentally flawed idea'; it's kind of a hat on a hat.
The demise of the franchise is getting closer!
tonypeacock-123 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This entry in the successful but cheaply made British Carry On series of films explores women's liberation and a beauty contest at a sleepy seaside town.
The film's feature bawdy 'humour' that at times appears aged and very un-PC in nature and would not be made today. The me to campaign seen at the 2018 Academy Awards ceremony would like the nature of the screenplay!
The film tends to focus on older male characters drooling over the female beauty contestants to much in some scenes! In particular the main star, the late Sidney James playing a character called Sid (as he always seemed to do) and Barbara Windsor in the role of Miss. Easy Rider, Hope Springs.
Look out for cameo appearances by the likes of Robin Askwith (Timothy Lea in another British comedy series of the era, the Confessions films) as a photographer. Interesting to see what cheap comedy was on offer to British audiences during the 1970s!
Perhaps a successful remake (again) of the Carry On series could be launched now covering modern day issues and starring modern day comedians like Peter Kay and Steve Coogan. Just an idea?
The film's feature bawdy 'humour' that at times appears aged and very un-PC in nature and would not be made today. The me to campaign seen at the 2018 Academy Awards ceremony would like the nature of the screenplay!
The film tends to focus on older male characters drooling over the female beauty contestants to much in some scenes! In particular the main star, the late Sidney James playing a character called Sid (as he always seemed to do) and Barbara Windsor in the role of Miss. Easy Rider, Hope Springs.
Look out for cameo appearances by the likes of Robin Askwith (Timothy Lea in another British comedy series of the era, the Confessions films) as a photographer. Interesting to see what cheap comedy was on offer to British audiences during the 1970s!
Perhaps a successful remake (again) of the Carry On series could be launched now covering modern day issues and starring modern day comedians like Peter Kay and Steve Coogan. Just an idea?
"Very saucy and all the better for it."
jamesraeburn200321 May 2004
In a run down English seaside town, Sid Fiddler (Sidney James) persuades the pompous mayor (Kenneth Connor) to hold a beauty contest in order to improve it's image.
Above average farce in that it is often hilariously funny despite retreading every British sex joke in the book - very saucy and all the better for it. There is one hilarious moment where Sid James has Barbara Windsor in his room in her nighty and his nagging wife Joan Sims comes in and Sid has to hide her. However, he overlooked the nighty and puts it on in a pathetic attempt to persuade his wife that it's his. Cracking stuff! The Carry On team was beginning to break up by this stage, but while Sid James, Joan Sims, Barbara Windsor and Kenneth Connor were still there, they could carry the film without Charles Hawtery and Kenneth Williams though they are sadly missed.
Above average farce in that it is often hilariously funny despite retreading every British sex joke in the book - very saucy and all the better for it. There is one hilarious moment where Sid James has Barbara Windsor in his room in her nighty and his nagging wife Joan Sims comes in and Sid has to hide her. However, he overlooked the nighty and puts it on in a pathetic attempt to persuade his wife that it's his. Cracking stuff! The Carry On team was beginning to break up by this stage, but while Sid James, Joan Sims, Barbara Windsor and Kenneth Connor were still there, they could carry the film without Charles Hawtery and Kenneth Williams though they are sadly missed.
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